UN TO INCREASE FOCUS ON BOKO HARAM THIS WEEK

International clamour against the activities of Boko Haram is now at its peak, as the United Nations and the United States government continue to consider stronger measures in dealing with the group, in a bid to significantly decapitate the terrorists, whose recent resurgence has drawn global condemnation.
For instance, while the United Nations earlier this week warned that the terrorist organisation would possibly be adjudged as guilty of crimes against humanity, US government agencies are said to be in communication with the Nigerian government on reaching an agreement on how the Americans can help “finish off” the destruction of the group’s operations already started by the Nigerian military.
Also, a US House of Representatives Congressional hearing on Boko Haram by two Committees of the House has also been fixed for Wednesday afternoon November 12 to discuss the “continuing threat of Boko Haram,” according to statements from the US Congress. The statement disclosed that the hearing, which would be hosted by the Committee on Foreign Affairs, would be “held jointly by the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organisations and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade in Room 2200 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
Besides, the new US Assistant Secretary of State, Ms. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who will also address the hearing, had already indicated last month that the US government does regard Boko Haram a terrorist organisation, but she only fell short of making a formal and official designation of the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation, FTO.
US sources said over the weekend that such a formal designation might be the next thing that the American government will do in their bid to support the Nigerian government’s efforts to deal with the terror group.
A source here in the US said such a formal designation “is very imminent,” and it is expected to grant the American government the legal framework to sufficiently deal with the Boko Haram menace.
Earlier this week, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan asked the National
Assembly to extend the State of Emergency imposed on three northeastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa in order to curtail the Boko Haram terrorist activities.
Commenting on the recent attacks by Boko Haram, the UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned this past week that, “members of Boko Haram and other groups and entities, if judged to have committed widespread or systematic attacks against a civilian population, including on grounds such as religion or ethnicity, could be found guilty of crimes against humanity.”
According to Cécile Pouilly, an official of the UN-OHCHR, the UN agency “strongly condemned the last weekend’s atrocious attack on a wedding convoy in Nigeria’s Borno State.”
Source: Guardian